CZ 82 advice...

When I last had my CRFFL the CZ 82s were just coming available fro CRFFls, and since I LOVE any of the Makarovs I have owned, the 9x18 round, the accuracy, the cost of shooting, everything, I always wanted one but $200+ seemed a little expensive, especially with all the mixed reviews I have read from any of the Czech CRFFL milsurp owners, specifically over the CZ-52 and CZ-72s...

But I just renewed my CRFFL, and was getting ready to place my order for a $199 CZ-82 when I got my flyer from MGE in Mishawawka, IN, the place I bought my Rock River AR from, and my M57 Yugo 2 months ago for cheaper than I could have bought one with my CRFFL...

And they are having a sale on CZ-82s this month for $179 with the holster, 2 mags, the works.... That is about $20 cheaper than I can buy it sight unseen with my CRFFL...

I just happen to be leaving for the South Bend/Mishawawka area tomorrow....

Anybody own one? Are they as accurate and dependable as the East German Makarov I used to own, and the Russian commercial Baikal IJ-70 Makarov which is now my summer carry gun? What do I look for for a good one if they have several I can choose from?

If it is, I wouldn't mind upgrading to a double stack 9x18 for carry....

Polishshooter,
From my experience with lot's of East Bloc handguns - the CZ82 stands at the top of the heap or pinnacle (which ever way you want to look at it) with respect to ergonomics, function, reliability and accuracy and having a 12 round mag certainly doesn't detract from it either. It is a bit heavy - but it sits well in the hand and can be carried comfortably in a belt holster. Nice range or CCW gun. Has the "expensive" polygonal rifling just like the wonder Glocks!!!

When I first applied for my CRFFL in 2000, I was "hot" for the .32 acp CZ-72 I saw advertised by SOG for $79.99...

After waiting for like FOREVER for my CRFFL to be approved through the "Black Hole" of the Atlanta ATF office, the day it came I DROVE to SOG to give them a copy and order my CZ-72....only to find they were 'temporaily' "Out of Stock,"

This introduced me to the CRFFL fact of life, wait TOO long and "Temporaily" can quickly turn into "Permanently."

But then I heard a lot of guys complaining that the CZ-72 was a POS...

The GOOD news is I placed my order for an SOG "5Fer," and got 5 assorted Polish and Hungarian M44s for $175...I still own the first Polish, and I WISH I still owned at least one of the Hungarians...but no matter, even disregarding the profit from selling the other 4, the one sweet Polish I still own is worth more than the cost of that whole deal....

And then came the CZ-52s...the price kept dropping, everybody was singing their praises, they got to $99 and I thought I would buy at $79...maybe even $89...but they never went lower and started right back up...but right when I started kicking myself I started hearing from guys that owned them...for every guy that LOVED them there was at least one that HATED them... "Very Accurate." 'Innacurate POS" "Very Reliable" "POS that jams every magazine!" "Highly Engineered" "Cheap Crap"

I must have held a hundred of them in my hand at one time ready to buy at shows, and then put them down and walked away...

I guess the only thing that has kept me from a CZ-82 is those two designs...I KNOW the CZ-75 is a GREAT design from guys that own them, very FEW bad reviews, but is the -82 as good as a Makarov?

East German Maks are worth every penny of the $300+ they sell for now...Accurate, Reliable, Concealable, cheap to shoot....

The CZ (vzor) 82 - is a definite improvement over the CZ-70 (CZ-50) and CZ-52 designs - having been purpose build. I've owned several of each of the above mentioned models, but only one of the 82s, which I got as soon as they became available in the US - mine's a bit beat on the outside, but mechanically excellent. I've also owned a couple Makarovs, but not an EG version. From my Makarov experience, I'd say that the 82 is a much more refined design and shows me better potiential for accuracy, while still being rugged and reliable. I truly like and admire my 82 and having shot it a fair number of times - can honestly say it hasn't choked on any of the milsurp or new production Eastern ammo I've fed it - and it particularly liked the CorBon h.v. ammo when that was available. If I had to choose between the Makarov and the CZ82, I would personally pick the CZ.

I have a Cz-82 that I keep in the car at all times. It does shoot good even if it looks kinda beat up. The finish was really rough when I got it, sight unseen, from SOG (I think). I have been planning to Duracote it but just haven't yet.

If you have your C&R, you know you can use it at the local gun store and can skip the background check and save another $5 if they charge that. If they are selling it for $179, you know they paid less so you might be able to deal a little with them. The best part is that you will be able to pick and choose the best looking one.

With my wife not working and a few extra expenses this payday my wife informed me "we can PROBABLY afford it but it would be better the LAST paycheck of the month..."

We haven't been married 30 years going on 31 for me NOT to be able to read between the lines...

Anyway, I was impressed when I stopped in this morning before I went to my first store...yeah a little wear on the black "lacquer" finish, but they also included a nice used Bianchi snap top Sig P226 holster...it looked kinda funny with a bunch of slots, slits, and looked like had options for wearing in many belt postions, cross draw, high hip, horizontal small of back...and the salesman told me he would let me pick from 4 or 5...

But I said no thanks, and left, thinking heck the sale lasted until July 31, I might be back before then....

And thought about it all day. Then even made a call to my wife...who told me "...mmm, how much? Don't forget we are driving home for your nephew's wedding this weekend, and the house payment and insurance are due, and well, go ahead...and then I suggested maybe I see if they do layaway and she said COOL, we will be FINE inext payday....)

I didn't tell her I was 20 miles away ready to hit my next store....

I turned around, went back, and after an awkward delay, they were busy as heck due to their big sale, and the salesman who sold me my M57 last month came over and called me by name, and apologized because he had seen me with the other salesman earlier and they don't "step on each other's toes" when it comes to commissions but the other guy was on break...I told him, the other guy said he would let me pick from 3 or 4, and he said they weren't supposed to do that but he woudl see what he could do...

And in about 10 minutes he brought me two...along with the best holster he could find AND the shoulder harness that was included...(no WONDER all the slots and slits!)

Anyway, one LOOKED better but the one with more wear had a much smoother trigger pull...so I picked the one with more wear...the salesman then said pick any two of the 4 mags from both guns that I wanted, one had like a thick base with a like a finger extension, but two of the others with the plain flat sheet metal bases looked newer with less wear so I picked them....

and layed it away for $50....

The main thing I DIDN'T like about it was the "Thumb Rest" Bulge on the grip which messed up access to the 1911 style mag release (FINALLY a European handgun with a mag release in the RIGHT place instead of the heel...)

I'm hoping if they haven't already that soon Pierce Grips may make replacement rubber grips for it...

But it was kind of intriguing, controls right where JMBrowning put them....CAN you carry it cocked and Locked if you don't like the DA first shot?

I love the 9x18 round, my Baikal Makarov is my summer carry gun, I have about 250 or so S&B reloadable cases/ factory rounds on top of a few hundred combloc surplus, I might just have to buy some 9x18 dies and some .365 bullets...

They are both great weapons! The M57 is a single action that shoots the 7.62x28 round, the one that has been demonstrated to penetrate everything. It is very accurate, but hard to justify for home defense because it does penetrate everything like walls. I is the one handgun round that will pop through a Kevlar helmet. They fit your hand very well, very slim, and well machined. They are accurate and cheap to shoot with surplus ammo. The CZ82 is a definite winner. It has a great trigger, both double and single action. The sites are small, but it's very accurate and fun to shoot. fits your hand very well and the added weight of an all steel gun takes a lot of the shock out of the 9mm Mak round. They seem to last forever.

As an asside, I was talking to a guy in Minnesota who started selling guns last year though hes in his 70s in partnership with his gunsmith. They located a deal where they could buy these guns in lots of 10 and get the M57s for around $136 and the CZ82s for about $146. He may have been lying to me or fibbing, but since a lot of the dealers on line are selling them for around $200, I think it is probably true as a markup. Check it out. You can get your own and make some money as well since you will have the FFL. Good luck and keep us posted.

They are both great weapons! The M57 is a single action that shoots the 7.62x28 round, the one that has been demonstrated to penetrate everything. It is very accurate, but hard to justify for home defense because it does penetrate everything like walls. I is the one handgun round that will pop through a Kevlar helmet. They fit your hand very well, very slim, and well machined. They are accurate and cheap to shoot with surplus ammo. The CZ82 is a definite winner. It has a great trigger, both double and single action. The sites are small, but it's very accurate and fun to shoot. fits your hand very well and the added weight of an all steel gun takes a lot of the shock out of the 9mm Mak round. They seem to last forever.

As an asside, I was talking to a guy in Minnesota who started selling guns last year though hes in his 70s in partnership with his gunsmith. They located a deal where they could buy these guns in lots of 10 and get the M57s for around $136 and the CZ82s for about $146. He may have been lying to me or fibbing, but since a lot of the dealers on line are selling them for around $200, I think it is probably true as a markup. Check it out. You can get your own and make some money as well since you will have the FFL. Good luck and keep us posted.

The CZ82 in 9mm mak has to be the most awesome buy on the planet right now for a surplus military handgun. It has the double action on the first shot so it can be carried chambered only. It doesn't get any safer than that. After waiting decades to purchase my very first pistol in 9mm luger I found a used CZ85DB in 9mm luger for $300 with the orginal boxes and papers in excellent condition that appeared still to be unshot. The first trip to the range was awesome. I went back and purchased a CZ83 in 380acp then the salesman told me a guy purchased a CZ83 in 9mm mak($210) and returned it and never shot it. He didn't like the polygonal chrome barrel. I got this one for only $229 and its brand new. Soon after the czech military version CZ82 was offered for $189 at www.aimsurplus.com . I got the first one in very good condition and again its another awesome quality CZ pistol. After shooting the CZ82 it became my new CCW gun. Soon after Aim offered the CZ82's in excellent condition too for $199. I got one of those too. I think pistol wise the quality of the CZ pistols is unmatched. I'm glad i chose the CZ85DB czech pistol when i did. I have a CZ50 and CZ70 too. I'll bet once you purchase one CZ82 you will be hooked on the CZ line of pistols too. The CZ75 in 9mm luger is the choice of the russian spec ops. All the CZ barrels have chrome lined bores and chambers too. Bill

Since these pistols are painted(some of them check to be sure) the cz82 is painted my thoughts is we can repaint them if there in the lesser condition for the cheaper cost. I use the aluma-hyde II from brownells its an epoxy spray rattle can paint. I've touched up a worn gray park on my french 49/56 many years ago and it still looks like i just did it. I cleaned the area with 0000 steel wool, washed it with rubbing alcohol, then heated the area up with a hair dryer then painted it. Right now my CZ82 in very good condition doesn't look too bad wear wise but some day i'll redo the finish maybe.

Since then i have bumped up to a 41mag as my new carry gun but in the tee shirt hot weather its still my cz82 in 9mm mak.

I should be picking it up this week... It's 4 1/2 hours away but it's nice to be able to write your own schedule and I just so happen to have to be there on business sometime in the next few weeks ANYWAY...

Like Us On Facebook!

The Firearms Forum is on online community for all gun enthusiasts. Join us to discuss firearms of all kinds, gun accessories, legal issues and more. Membership is free and we welcome all types of shooters, whether you're a novice or a pro. Come for the info, stay and make some friends.